Abstract [en]

The objective of this paper is to suggest new business models and supporting arrangements for open source software in the public sector, specifically for municipalities. Methodologically, the study was carried out as a practical inquiry. Results from the initial diagnosis of longitudinal case studies 2005-2008 in a Swedish network of 80 collaborating municipalities, and a survey 2008 to all Swedish national and local authorities, indicated that Swedish municipalities do not use OSS to a large extent for several reasons, and that experience sharing and a supporting framework were requested. As a solution, a semi-open business model framework was suggested. This framework was developed and implemented in the form of action research. Evaluation of the implementation indicated two major conclusions presented in this paper. First, it that a semi-open source business model could strengthen the community, in so motto that the user-driven innovative solutions stay under control of the user organization. This prevents that the customer’s own development efforts in collaborative projects unintentionally are transferred to supplier companies, and need to be re-purchased in the form of packaged solutions, a phenomena that was observed in several previously studied cases. Second, it was concluded that the semi-open source business model can work only if both customer-side and supplier-side can take advantage. An open attitude to enhance fulfilment of the supplier’s drivers, such as commercialization opportunities, is needed from the customer side. Otherwise important knowledge contributions from suppliers may be limited.